


The Shooting Range

by SleeplessInGeneral



Series: What About Your Camp Spirit? [3]
Category: Dead of Summer (TV)
Genre: Garrett is being a brat, father/son bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-01
Updated: 2016-09-01
Packaged: 2018-08-12 08:54:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7928545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SleeplessInGeneral/pseuds/SleeplessInGeneral
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There is some fun in the things our parents make us do. At twelve, Garrett didn't think he'd enjoy going to the shooting range. And the feelings quickly went away when his dad started teaching him.</p>
<p>At fourteen, Garrett didn't think he'd enjoy going to camp. And the feelings quickly went away when Jessie started teaching him how to enjoy it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Shooting Range

"Put your earmuffs on, Kiddo. I'm not going to let you go deaf." Garrett put on the red earmuffs, but pushed up the protective glasses. Jack groaned in despair. "Why did you take off the glasses?" Garrett rolled his eyes and put the glasses back on. "Thank you. Now look here. You need to aim very well before shooting –"

"I already know that. Dad, I'm twelve. Do I really need to know how to use a gun at twelve?"

"Garrett, I want you to be ready for any situation."

"But I'm _twelve_."

"Yeah, and in a few years you'll be deputy. I want you to start early. Shooting practice is certainly a better way to vent without vandalizing everything."

"And if I shoot at someone?"

Jack laughed and ruffled his son's hair. "You won't. I raised you, remember? A troublemaker as you are, I know you're good. Now, look here."

When Jack started explaining about the different types of guns and other firearms was when Garrett really got interested. He couldn't bring himself to admit it, but it was actually kind of fascinating.

"Before shooting," his dad noted, "always make sure the magazine is loaded. And if you're using a revolver, check the barrel."

"Why are you telling me something so obvious?"

"Because I want to make sure you remember it." He grabbed a magazine from the table and put it in a gun. And then he held it out to Garrett. "Come on. Try it yourself. Those are dummies, you don't need to worry."

"Can I use a revolver instead?"

Jack looked surprised at first, but quickly complied. He grabbed one, filled the barrel and handed it out to his son. "Go ahead."

Garrett took the gun and went to stand in front of the target. He single-handedly fitted the earmuffs and glasses back on, aimed at the target and…

The bullet went flying and hit a spot not even near close to the edges of the target.

Jack started laughing. He went to his son and ruffled his hair again. "If at first you don't succeed," he said – quite loudly – "try, try again." He helped Garrett find a more fitting position for his arms and aim better. The second shot wasn't as terrible, but he still missed the round piece of wood by a lot.

"Dad, if I don't succeed this time, you're letting me off the hook."

"If you don't succeed this time, I'm bringing you here every day until you make it. Now, try again."

* * *

 

Ruth was not happy when her husband and son wound up sweaty and dirty, with only clean areas around their eyes, at the Plaza. She went quickly to make two chocolate shakes before they could order anything, just to shut them up for a bit.

"So, what did you do this time?" She asked her husband. He and their son grinned similarly, their eyes twinkling the same way.

"Dad took me to the shooting range," Garrett said happily.

"You took him to the shooting range?"

"He shot dummies, Ruth! He shot dummies. I'm not going to let him use blanks or regular cartridge. I'm not that irresponsible."

"No, but you're the sheriff. If you spend your time taking your son to a shooting range instead of actually doing your job, we're all going to die."

"Well, I'm off-duty today. I'm not going to –"

"You will take him to the shooting range over my dead body."

"Too bad," he teased and sipped from his shake. "I just did today."

"You are unbearable," Ruth groaned and pulled out a notepad. "What do you want to eat?"

* * *

 

"You're doing very good, Garrett," Jack told his son. "I told you you'll get better."

"But that was two years ago."

"You still got better. I'm very proud of you, Kiddo."

Garrett pushed his protective glasses up his nose and shot again. The blank hit dead center. It was the first time he ever did it with a gun other than a revolver. He could not imagine what his mother would say if she saw him at that moment. He put the gun down on the table and took off his protective gear.

"So, did you think about the camp offer?"

And there it was again. "No, dad. I don't want to go to camp."

"Garrett, they offer every year. It will do you good. You'll be around different people –"

"I don't care about different people."

"You're fourteen now. It's time to decide what kind of man you want to be."

Garrett rolled his eyes. He got that speech every week since he smashed the principal's car's window. He _did not_ want to decide what kind of man he wanted to be, simply because he was too young for that. He didn't want to grow up so quickly. He wasn't ready for that.

"Fine," he grunted. "I'll go to camp if it will make you happy."

"This is not about me, Garrett. This is about you."

"Yeah. Whatever you want to call it. I'll go to camp."

* * *

 

Garrett couldn't find anyone to be enough competition at firearms. That was because there was no firearm training. The only thing close enough were the archery spot. Which was only ever used by two girls, Andrea and Margot, who Garrett didn't know very well but at least they knew how to use a bow and arrow. He assumed everyone else just didn't want to mess with them.

There was a sound of something falling on the ground. He was snapped from his thoughts and looked at Jessie, who kept throwing the horseshoes horribly. Time after time, they fell to the floor with a thud. She wasn't even aiming.

"No, Braces, are you even aiming?"

"Yes, I'm aiming." She turned to him and straightened her bandana on her arm. "But you were spaced out. So I threw some random ones so you'll pay attention. My last one was actually kind of good."

"Come on, I'll show you –"

"You already showed me that you're good at this. I get it."

"That's not what I wanted to show you." Confused, Jessie stood lack. And then Garrett started moving her to a proper position – moving her legs a bit, straightening her arms so it will be more comfortable. "Okay, now you aim and throw."

Her next horseshoe hit the pole and went flying.

"Well, at least you hit it."

"Where did you learn that?" She gave him a no-nonsense look. "Come on. Tell me."

"At a shooting range."

"Why would you be at a shooting range?"

"Because one day, I'm going to succeed my dad at his job." He rolled his eyes. "Basically my dad's excuse to make me do anything."

"But it looks like you enjoy it."

"I didn't say I didn't enjoy anything he made me do."

"Oh well. There's always –"

"Jessie, come on!" someone called. "Becky wants to give us a talk about the raid tonight!"

"Just a second, Margot!" Jessie called back. "I was saying, there's always something fun in the things our parents make us do. Sometimes you find real joy in them, and sometimes… It's just getting the opportunity to torment them." She smiled brightly and started going. "See you later tonight, Townie!"

"See you, Braces."

He did not want to admit this, but his dad was right. Camp was good. Deep inside, he knew it was becoming one of the fun things in what his dad made him do. Right there, with the shooting range.

**Author's Note:**

> After the finale, I was left wanting to write a father-son bonding story. I'm not really good at those, simply because I almost never find myself in a situation where I need to write those, so this is a good beginning.
> 
> So I had this feeling, starting "Townie" and ending "She Talks To Angels" final scenes, that Jack and Garrett were really good friends. Garrett may have been a brat and he may have been difficult, but it doesn't matter as long as he has his dad, and this is what that feeling was. That deep inside, he just wanted to please his dad. And I still think that his dad doesn't care, so long as he's happy.


End file.
